EU consumers want better animal welfare laws

90% demand better laws

Almost 9 in 10 consumers stated that they support better animal welfare laws for animals raised for consumption and believe that the EU should act to update legislation to provide them with protection.

In a new survey by BEUC, which aimed to analyse consumer attitudes towards animal welfare, 6 in 10 consumers stated that they know little about animal welfare practices, and three quarters of consumers want a better labelling system for products derived from animals.

Little trust in animal welfare claims

Consumers expressed that they have little trust in animal welfare claims made by companies, and 84% would react negatively to animal welfare greenwashing.

7 in 10 respondents argued that the costs of transition must be fairly distributed and that the EU must provide farmers with the means to implement higher standards.

Equal standards for imports

A large majority, 78%, agreed that the same animal welfare regulations that apply to products produced in the EU should also apply to imports of animal products. This is supported by a further report by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and BEUC which concludes that EU trade policy is not sufficiently coherent with the Green Deal and that consumers must be treated fairly through import regulations and better labelling that enables them to make an informed decision.

«With 9 out of 10 consumers supporting new laws for better animal welfare, our survey confirms that people care about how we treat animals kept for food production. It is high time that the EU Commission fulfils its promise to revise EU legislation on animal welfare in agriculture.»

Monique Goyens, Director General, BEUC

The survey covers Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In each country, 1’000 people were surveyed in November 2023.

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